Knitting, Biking and Some Sober Second Thoughts

WIP Wednesday: Orion’s Belt Shawl

I started Paulina Popiolek’s Orion’s Belt Shawl and am really liking it so far. As with most things in life at the moment, it’s not quite what I originally planned, but Lilia Bella is only in Knitting Magazine. I’m really not good at paying attention to things like that when I queue stuff. In spite of having grown up before the internet really came of age, I still find myself surprised when things are not immediately available electronically. Why no instant gratification? 😦

Fortunately I love a large number of her designs (I wasn’t even aware of her before my last queuing binge. I’m not sure how that’s possible), so I just picked a different shawl and started out. I biked back down to The Purple Purl to pick up a ball of Tanis Fiber Arts in Shadow to go with the Cobalt I already had. I swatched, although more to check colours than size.

Checking colours. Going with the blue and grey.

I’m a bit short on the main colour yardage, so I’m doing it on 3.5 mm needles and may still have to adjust the final few centimetres with an extra contrasting colour stripe. Or add in some of the purple yarn. Or make another trip down to the yarn store for another hank of Cobalt. But I’ll burn that bridge if I come to it.

It’s going pretty well so far. The short rows kept the first bit interesting and I seem to have done the wraps okay for once so there were no big holes after the pickup. I’m just getting to the coloured pattern now, which I just assumed was going to be a stranded thing, but is actually slipped stitches and stuff, so that’s kind of cool. I never thought of doing a colour pattern like that. The rows are obviously long so I’m only doing them one or two at a time, but the whole pattern isn’t that many rows, so I’m already halfway through it.

I thought about going to buy a longer needle, but I think it will just barely fit on this one.

Also, I don’t know what it’s like where you live, but here it’s supposed to hit 42 C (108 F) with the humidex today and I’m scheduled to play Frisbee, so I’ve already prepared some iced tea.

Willsavenine: the very bottom of the glass is flat, but the way it’s tilted with respect to the camera does make it look funny.
Minding My Own Stitches: I’m not sure what the safe distance from the yarn store is. Is 45 minutes really enough?

I hate when something I’ve queued is in a book or magazine–you are right, the internet is for instant gratification! I LOVE iced tea, I wish it were warm enough here, sigh. Love the yarn you’ve chosen, so pretty!

A blog about knitting, biking, movies and books although I can’t keep up with new releases and I like to overthink things for a month or seven. I’m also finishing up my PhD but it’s taking a long time, so it’s probably best if we don’t talk about that. Currently living in Toronto.